diff --git a/web_dev_defaults/default_index.html b/web_dev_defaults/default_index.html
index 27b804fd..cfeab8e9 100644
--- a/web_dev_defaults/default_index.html
+++ b/web_dev_defaults/default_index.html
@@ -7,5 +7,33 @@
         <link rel="stylesheet" href="default_styles.css">
     </head>
     <body>
+        <main>
+            <h1>Header 1</h1>
+            <h2>Header 2</h2>
+            <h3>Header 3</h3>
+            <h4>Header 4</h4>
+            <h5>Header 5</h5>
+            <h6>Header 6</h6>
+            <p>Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum.</p>
+            <ul>
+               <li>test list item</li>
+               <li>test list item</li>
+               <li>test list item</li>
+               <li>test list item</li>
+               <li>test list item</li>
+               <li>test list item</li>
+               <li>test list item</li>
+               <li>test list item</li>
+               <li>test list item</li>
+               <li>test list item</li>
+               <li>test list item</li>
+               <li>test list item</li>
+               <li>test list item</li>
+               <li>test list item</li>
+               <li>test list item</li>
+               <li>test list item</li>
+               <li>test list item</li>
+            </ul>
+        </main>
     </body>
 </html>
diff --git a/web_dev_defaults/default_styles.css b/web_dev_defaults/default_styles.css
index 8f181642..0d0d1326 100644
--- a/web_dev_defaults/default_styles.css
+++ b/web_dev_defaults/default_styles.css
@@ -1,8 +1,39 @@
-body {
-    width: 100vw;
-    height: 100vh;
-    display: flex;
-    justify-content: center;
-    align-items: center;
-    margin: 0 auto;
+/* * { */
+    /* border: 2px solid lime; */
+/* } */
+
+/* alternatively select using :root */
+html {
+    max-width: 70ch;
+    padding: 3em 1em;
+    margin: auto;
+    line-height: 1.75;
+    font-size: 1.25em;
+}
+
+/* more for a centered div, doesn't play well with main below*/
+/* body { */
+    /* width: 100vw; */
+    /* height: 100vh; */
+    /* display: flex; */
+    /* justify-content: center; */
+    /* align-items: center; */
+    /* margin: 0 auto; */
+/* } */
+
+main {
+    max-width: 38rem;
+    padding: 1.5em;
+    margin: auto;
+}
+
+h1, h2, h3, h4, h5, h6 {
+    margin: 3em 0 1em;
+    font-family: sans-serif;
+}
+
+p, ul, ol {
+    margin-bottom: 2em;
+    color: #1d1d1d;
+    font-family: sans-serif;
 }
